1980: Jim Folsom Jr wins

[Chester County Anti-populist]

How long would Jim Folsom Jr remain in the senate if he won in 1980? My best guess is that he would have won in '86, barely survived in '92, just barely held on again in '98 and then lost big in 2004.

[Left Wing]

I agree with your assessment.

[Fuzzy Bear]

If Jim Folsom, Jr. had been Senator from Alabama, he would have been on the national ticket at least once, and may well have ran and been nominated for President.

Just imagine if it was Folsom, and not Al Gore, that Clinton chose in 1992.  Or if Folsom, and not Dukakis, was the Democratic nominee in 1988, running with Bentsen.